All Wireless Networks Have Disappeared

[TombRaiderBC]

I've got an embedded wireless on my laptop and a d-link router network.  Last night I was goofing around checking other networks in my range and suddenly couldn't reconnect to my network or any other.  I tried to reboot and the computer froze so I let the battery die while I went to bed and booted up this morning.  Well I've restarted okay but now my laptop doesn't find any wireless networks at all.  I do a refresh and it says no networks in range.  nothing... not mine or any of the neighbors.  I'm afraid the card crapped out but maybe it's just the settings?

I right clicked the network icon and then clicked "repair" on the wireless network but it didn't fix anything.  It just shows a big red X through the wireless.  When I check the card in device manager it says device working properly.  The device troubleshooter solution is to reinstall drivers which I don't want to mess with yet... I'll have to download them.  And how could the drivers get messed up anyway?

Everything was working fine until i connected to a neighbor's unsecure network... could they have sabatoged my system?  Is there a procedure I can use to check out settings and the embedded card?  The troubleshooter seems like a waste of time.  It seems the first thing they always say is reload drivers.  Could that be the problem?  Why?  I don't want to take this thing into the repair shop unless I know for sure it's broken.

System specs:  Gateway 4530GZ Intel Pentium(R) M, Intel(R)PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection, 1394 Net Adaptor

[Flame]

Do you have virus and Spyware protection? If you are running Windows XP, I suggest running a System Restoration. To do this, follow these steps... Click on Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System restore. A new window will now appear. Make sure "restore my system to an earlier time" has a bullet point next to it, and click on the next button. You will now see a calendar. Click on the day of, or the day before he changed any settings. If applicable, make sure the TIME on that day is before he messed with any settings. Click on the date and time so that it is hilighted, and click on the next button. You will now see a confirmation screen. Make sure the date and time is correct, and click on the finish button. Your computer will now restart. Before it "saves your user settings" you will see a little status box. It may move rather slowly, so be patient. Once the system runs its course, the computer will restart. Login as usual, and see if your settings are back to normal. Hope this helps  

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[TombRaiderBC]

Thanks flame.

Well I'll put my dunce cap on now....  I reread the error message and it said "make sure the wireless switch on your computer is on."  I didn't have a clue what that meant.  Then I remembered that one of the function buttons on the keyboard switches wireless on/off.  DUH!!!    

Fixed it in two seconds!  They really should update the device troubleshooting notes to check your keyboard!   8-)

I must have hit the button when my computer froze last night and I was trying to get it unstuck.  Which brings up another question while I'm here.  When a laptop hangs up is there some quick way to reboot?  On my PC I can always just unplug it... not the preferred method, I know.  With the laptop I wait about 3 hours for the power to die... this rarely happens fortunately but when it does it's a pain.  Any workaround other than the power?

Thanks.

[Flame]

Glad it was fixed anyway    Come back and see us if you have any more questions  

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